Orders

ORDER NUMBER

G-59-16

IN THE MATTER OF

the Utilities Commission Act, RSBC 1996, Chapter 473

and

FortisBC Inc.

Net Metering Tariff Update Application

BEFORE:

H. G. Harowitz, Panel Chair/Commissioner

R. I. Mason, Commissioner
R. D. Revel, Commissioner

on May 3, 2016

ORDER

WHEREAS:

A.      On April 15, 2016, FortisBC Inc. (FBC) filed its Net Metering Program Tariff Update Application (Application) with the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission);

B.      On July 29, 2009, the British Columbia Utilities Commission (Commission) approved, by way of Order G‑92‑09, the FBC Net Metering Tariff (Rate Schedule 95 or RS 95);

C.      In the Application, FBC requests approval for:

•         Changes to RS 95 to clarify the intent of the Net Metering Program as described in Section 4 of the Application and reflected in the revised RS 95 tariff contained in Appendix C,

•         Use of a kWh Bank to carry forward Net Excess Generation (NEG) for an annual period with compensation at the end of that annual period,

•         Compensate customers for that remaining unused NEG at the BC Hydro RS 3808 Tranche 1 rate currently priced at 4.303 cents per kWh plus a 5 percent rate rider, instead of valued at rates specified in the applicable Rate Schedule and credited to the customer’s account as a dollar value that contributes to the overall financial standing of the account;

D.      In addition, FBC requests Commission acceptance of its approach to the billing calculation methodology for RS 95. FBC submits this requires no changes to the Tariff or program documentation but will remove the potential for misunderstanding about the application of the Net Metering Tariff schedule;

E.       The Commission has considered the nature of the approvals requested and considers that establishing a regulatory timetable for the review of the Application is warranted.

NOW THEREFORE the British Columbia Utilities Commission orders as follows:

1.       A written hearing is established for review of the FortisBC Inc. (FBC)’s Net Metering Tariff Update Application (Application). The Regulatory Timetable is set out in Appendix A to this order.

2.       By no later than May 12, 2016, FBC is to provide a copy of the Application, this Order and Regulatory Timetable, to all Interveners and Interested Parties in the FBC 2009 Net Metering Tariff Application proceeding, all current Rate Schedule 95 customers, and those with net metering service applications in progress. FBC is also to publish the Application, this Order and Regulatory Timetable on its website.

3.       By no later than May 12, 2016, FBC is to provide to each FBC current Rate Schedule 95 customer who has received monetary compensation for any net excess generation (NEG) in the past three years, a comparison of the actual dollar amount received by the customer for the NEG in the past three years relative to the dollar amount the customer would have received under the NEG rate proposed in the Application (i.e. in addition a copy of the Application this Order and Regulatory Timetable per Directive 2).

4.       Interveners who wish to participate in the regulatory proceeding are to register with the Commission by completing a Request to Intervene Form, available on the Commission’s website at http://www.bcuc.com/Registration-Intervener-1.aspx, by the date established in the Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this order, and in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached to Order G-1-16.

5.       Interested Parties who wish to receive electronic notification of filings for this proceeding should register online as an interested party available on the Commission’s website at http://www.bcuc.com/Registration-InterestedParty.aspx, by the date established in the Regulatory Timetable attached as Appendix A to this order and in accordance with the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure attached to Order G-1-16.

6.       Interveners intending to apply for Participant Assistance must submit a budget estimate by Monday, June 6, 2016. Participant Assistance applications should be consistent with the Commission’s Participant Assistance/Cost Award Guidelines and Order G-72-07. Copies of the Guidelines are available upon request or can be downloaded from the Commission’s website at http://www.bcuc.com.

DATED at the City of Vancouver, in the Province of British Columbia, this                  3^rd                  day of May 2016.

BY ORDER

Original signed by:

H. G. Harowitz

Panel Chair/Commissioner

Attachment

FortisBC Inc.

Net Metering Tariff Update Application

REGULATORY TIMETABLE